Later this evening the OCI will hold an Extraordinary General Meeting to agree changes to its constitution that will impose term limits on its directors among other changes aimed at enhancing governance of the organisation.

These changes, if agreed, will mean that all of the Deloitte report recommendations on good governance will have been acted upon. Last year the OCI commissioned Deloitte to review its governance arrangements.

At the EGM later this evening the OCI will also launch a new 7 year Strategic Plan (2018-2024) setting out a new athlete centred direction for the Organisation.

The OCI Athletes Commission will also present its new Strategic Plan to members at the EGM detailing how it proposes to focus on areas such as athlete welfare, communicating effectively with athletes and ensuring that the athlete’s voice is central in all Games preparations.

Speaking at a pre EGM press briefing today OCI President Sarah Keane said: “Later today we hope that members will vote in a number of changes to the OCI constitution that will radically reform how this organisation operates. We will finally have a modern, fit for purpose constitution that will stand the organisation in good stead for years to come. We still have some issues to resolve with regard to our Internal Olympic Committee obligations and we will return to these in a separate EGM in January. The matters concerned are important. The Board takes them seriously and we are committed to handling them correctly.“

“I am particularly pleased that today we will present a new Strategic Plan 2018-2024 to our members. This plan is the product of extensive consultation over recent months with all of our stakeholders and it sets out a new future for the OCI, one that has the athlete at the centre of all its decision making. The OCI Athletes Commission will also present its new strategy to members at the EGM. The Commission only held its first meeting this summer but it has since then been working tirelessly to agree a programme of work for the coming years. We have very good people involved in the organisation who are intent on bringing this Strategic Plan to life. The ambitious programme of reform that the new OCI Board is relentlessly pursuing is beginning to make a difference but we have much still to do. ”

Changes to the OCI Executive Committee that will be considered at the EGM this evening include the following:

Terms of Office: The general rule going forward is that an Executive Committee member shall have a four (4) year term of office. No person may serve on the Executive Committee for more than eight (8) years (i.e. 2 x 4 year term). This is subject to the following transitional regime to facilitate succession and rotation as the current EC were all elected on the same date.

At the next OCI elections (in 2020) anyone who has not served 12 years or more shall be eligible for re-election in 2020. Anyone over 12 years on the existing EC will not be eligible

In 2024, half of the Executive Committee must step down – those longest service will be first and then it will be by agreement or by lot. All of the remaining persons will be eligible to run for re-election, provided they have not served 12 years or more. This 12 year exception is a one off transitional arrangement to allow for future rotation as the current board have all been elected at the same time.

In 2028 and beyond, the eight (8) year rule will apply to everyone

We will, however, be asking our members this evening to consider an exception to this strict 8 years. We are mindful that the strict 8 years could operate to prevent persons who were perhaps elected very young in their lives or others who still have more to offer at a later stage in life to the Olympic Movement from ever being re-elected once they serve 8 years. As such we will be putting a final resolution to the Members to see if they would be happy to allow someone to come back for one final 4 year term subject to them having stepped off for at least 4 years and subject to never going over the 12 year max. The Executive Committee is making no recommendation in relation to this proposal with a view to it being debated at the EGM and the Members taking the decision as to whether or not to provide for this limited exception to the proposed 8 year rule.

The Executive Committee will be obliged to appoint a firm of accountants who are qualified as statutory auditors as scrutineers.

The Executive Committee may now co-opt up to two independent directors. This is to compliment the skills set of the Executive Committee.

We have also removed the right of the persons sitting on the Board to have a personal vote.

IOC Matters: The Executive Committee wrote to the IOC earlier this year informing them that we proposed that the IOC member would not automatically sit on the OCI Board and would not have a voting right. The IOC pointed out that under the Olympic Charter the IOC Member must be a member of the Executive Committee with a vote. Therefore the IOC has recently advised us that they will not accept this change and will require us to ensure that the IOC member is a full voting member of the Board and not subject to a term limit.

This matter will be considered by members at a separate EGM in January 2018.